Thankful For You
by BlackRoseDragonCK
Summary: One-shot. Tea takes Yami to a fall-time fair. What will happen when Ushio tries to crash the party? I do not own Yugioh. Happy Thanksgiving!


**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH**

**This is an autumn one-shot :). It takes place after the Ceremonial Duel (Yami decided to stay, he and Yugi have separate bodies) ^_^.**

**X**

Tea smiled as she stood at the gates of Domino City High. Kids were bustling everywhere around her, pulling on their shoes and racing off the brick and cement campus with their bags hanging mostly open on their backs. They were desperate to get home…to enjoy their weekend before it was time to start studying for their exams…but Tea chose to take it slow.

Sighing, the girl closed her eyes and breathed in the crisp, fresh air. She loved this time of year…the skies with just enough clouds to keep the sun's rays from becoming too intense…the cool, refreshing breeze…the beautiful colors of red, orange, and gold on the trees…the big, shiny moon at night…it was rejuvenating after a long, hot summer.

Contented, Tea picked up her backpack and was about to leave…when a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Hey, Tea! Wait!"

She turned around...spied Yami racing up to her…and couldn't fight off the inevitable blush. Yami had been her friend for quite some time now, but she still felt jittery around him. And who could blame her? He had a thin but well-muscled form that was always clad in flattering black, pale skin, slickly-spiked tri-colored hair, and snapping black-rimmed eyes the color of blood. His voice was deep…alluring…and almost hypnotizing, never failing to send shivers down her spine no matter what mood he was in.

Yami finally reached her and stopped, grasping his thighs with his hands and breathing heavily. The girl giggled, placed a hand on her hip, and cocked a chocolate eyebrow.

"How's it going, Yami?"

The former pharaoh looked up at her and grinned sheepishly, slowly regaining his composure as he stood straight.

"I wanted to ask you….I don't quite understand the homework assignment for this weekend. Would be so kind as to explain it to me?"

Tea had to fight off another giggling flush. Having been raised as a royal, he was always so formal…and it only added to his attractiveness.

"We're supposed to do an essay on the American holiday, Thanksgiving," she explained, but his confused frown only grew deeper.

"I'm afraid I have never heard of it…"

"It's a holiday the Pilgrims began, celebrating a successful growing season at Plymouth. The Native Americans helped the settlers learn how to properly grow and harvest food, so they had a feast commemorating that as well as their safe voyage to America. We're supposed to talk about it, and, at the end, talk about significant things in our lives that we're thankful for."

"Mmmm…." Yami had his chin rested against his fist, eyes narrowed in deep thought. "I am thankful for many things…how am I to choose just one?"

The girl laughed again. "Oh, I'm sure you'll figure it out." She then bit her lip, averting her sapphire eyes from his ruby ones.

The Pharaoh blinked at her in confusion. "Is something wrong?"

"No, no, nothing…" Tea waved a dismissive hand. She then took a deep breath and forced herself to look him straight in the eye. If she didn't pluck up the courage to do this…she would NEVER forgive herself. "Yami…I was wondering…the city's hosting a fall fundraiser for an opening dance school tomorrow at the local fairgrounds. There'll be food, games, and a few carnival rides. I'm going, but the other guys are busy, so…I wondered if maybe you'd like…to go with me…?"

Yami studied her for a moment, and she felt as though the brisk air had frozen her rapidly pounding heart. Then…his face lit up in a heart-melting smile, an expression that he did not often give.

"I would be honored, Tea." He said.

The brunette stared at him, not sure she'd heard him correctly. Snapping out of it, she beamed and giggled nervously. "R-really? Great! So, um…I'll come over to the Game Shop tomorrow at four?" she mentally kicked herself for sounding like such a dork, but his grin merely grew wider.

"It's a date."

Tea's heart stopped for a third time. Back when he was sharing a body, Yami would never have been so casual and cutely cocky…also, he never would have deliberately flirted with her for fear of injuring his host's trust. However, Yugi's attentions had been caught by a girl named Rebecca Hawkins as of late…so maybe…just maybe…she shook the thought away. She wouldn't get her hopes THAT high up.

"O-okay. So….see you tomorrow!" the girl waved and they finally parted ways.

X

At 3:40 P.M. the next day, Tea was standing in front of the long mirror in her bedroom. There were clothes scattered EVERYWHERE, along with various accessories…but she had finally found an outfit she felt semi-confident in.

The girl was wearing a lilac tank top that made her sapphire eyes sparkle, a slightly short black skirt, and black knee socks with purple platforms. Her hair was pulled back in an elegant bun with a few black rose pins and several strands of chocolate locks falling gracefully around her face. All in all, she looked simply stunning…but had no idea.

Taking a deep breath, Tea grabbed her purse, went down the stairs, and headed out the door, bound for the Kame Game Shop. She moved quickly down the sidewalk, absently taking in her surroundings. The weather was perfect once again and each yard held at least one of those red and gold trees she adored so much. She noted with amusement that some businesses had already started putting their Christmas lights up, obviously eager for the holidays to get here.

Finally, the brunette arrived at the shop. It still stood out in all its yellow and green painted glory, the funky red letters still shining brightly over the doorway and the adorable little turtle green as ever. Tea couldn't help but hold affection for this place. It was a safe haven for the gang to hang out as well as the home of her deepest crush.

Just as she was about to go towards the door, Yami himself stepped out. He looked darkly handsome, wearing a black, conforming tank, dark jeans, and the usual assortment of studded belts and Egyptian bangles. He smiled at her, those striking eyes of fire further heating her already burning face.

"You look very nice," he said, and Tea thought she saw a few spots of color appear on his pale cheeks.

The flush fairly matched her own. "Thanks! S-so do you…" she bit her lip, realizing for the first time that the action was her nervous habit. "So…you ready to go?"

"I am," he nodded and began walking towards the sidewalk. "Let us go."

X

When they arrived at the fairgrounds, Yami couldn't help but gape in awe. He had never been to a fair before…and was quite impressed with it. There were countless booths filled with games of all types as well as prizes for those who won. Among them, sat stalls with carnival snacks that sent the delicious smell of fried food and sugary sweets wafting through the air. There were also a few rides—a Ferris Wheel, merry go round, some spinning alligator looking things, and even a mini roller coaster for children. People bustled everywhere, eagerly going from attraction to attraction, emptying their wallets to pay for tickets.

The Pharaoh heard Tea giggle beside him and turned to look at her. She looked so beautiful…the wind blowing softly through her hair…her oceanic eyes sparkling…and it took him a moment to realize she had asked him a question.

"I'm sorry…what was that?"

She tilted her head in perplexity. "I asked you what you wanted to do first."

"Hmmm…" he looked around, pondering the question…and a grin lit up his face. "Well…you know me…I'd like to survey the games."

Tea laughed, a sweet sound that made his heart jump. "All right, King of Games," she said, grabbing his hand in hers. "Let's go."

Yami followed her through the crowd as they headed towards the activities. She had to keep a tight grip on his fingers to keep from losing him in the crowd….but he didn't mind. She led him to a booth filled with a plethora of bottles. People were crowded around it, throwing small rubber rings in an attempt to catch one on a bottle's spout…but it was obviously harder than it looked.

The Pharaoh's crimson eyes focused on a curly-haired little girl who looked around eight years old. With a shy smile, she handed three dollars to a man and he presented her with three rings. She bit her lip in concentration and tossed the first one. It didn't even come close to landing on a bottle. She threw a second one, this time too hard, sending it soaring out of the booth altogether. Finally, the child started to reach for the last ring…when three boys her age ran up to the stall.

Obviously boisterous, one of them shoved her out of the way and grabbed the last ring she had. He threw it, but it missed, and after giving a growl of annoyance, the kid ran off, laughing obnoxiously with his companions.

Yami felt Tea tense beside him, her anger merging with his own. He turned his gaze back to the little girl and heard her give a tiny sniff, glancing upwards at a cute, pink teddy bear sitting on the prize shelf. She had clearly placed all her hope on that last ring…only to have it taken from her.

Yami glanced at the sign. It read "One dollar per ring, one prize per bottle." Digging in his jeans pocket, he produced three dollars and handed it to the man, receiving three rings in return. He then stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on the little girl's shoulder. Her blonde curls bounce as she whipped around to look up at him, green eyes glistening with heartbroken tears.

"You were trying to win that toy, were you not?" he asked in a soft voice that was very different from the hard, intimidating one he usually used.

The child nodded, hanging her head again. Smiling gently, the Pharaoh knelt down beside her and pressed a ring into her tiny hands. She stared at him in shock and his smile grew.

"But…I don't think I'm good enough…" she whispered shyly.

"You must believe you are," was his confident reply.

The child stared at him with round eyes…then turned her gaze back to the game. Her gaze grew intent, her tongue sticking out with concentration. She hauled back…and let the ring fly, not noticing the Eye of Horus flash on Yami's forehead as she did so. The ring flew…spun…and landed squarely on one of the bottles.

She let out a squeal of joy, hugging the bear close as the man handed it to her. The Pharaoh grinned and looked away with slight embarrassment when she turned her happy grin to him.

"Thank you, mister!" she beamed and turned to Tea. "Your boyfriend is really nice!"

Yami and Tea looked at each other…and promptly turned red with embarrassment. Before they could correct her, however, the little girl ran off, clutching her new toy lovingly against her chest.

The two chuckled and shuffled nervously. Searching for something to break the awkward silence, she said, "Hey, you've still got two rings left. Do you mind if…I try…?"

"Be my guest," the Pharaoh grinned, handing her the object.

Tea took the ring, azure eyes locked on her target. She pulled back her hand….aimed…and yelped when someone grabbed her wrist. Yanking her wrist roughly, Ushio, the school's worst bully, pulled her slender body against his burly one. He stood looking down at her, square face fixed in a smirk and thick eyebrows raised. Two more goons stood behind him, chortling with evil intent.

"Hey there, doll…" Ushio grinned sickly. "Whaddaya say we get outta this boring scene and have some REAL fun?"

Yami felt anger burn within his chest and was about to say something when Tea beat him to it. Her blue eyes narrowed into slits and she wrenched out of the bully's grasp.

"I'd say, you can GET LOST, you creep!"

"Ah, feisty!" Ushio's perverse grin widened. "Even better!"

Finally, the Pharaoh stepped forward, jaw clenched and fiery eyes burning fiercely. "If I were you, I'd do as she says and make yourselves SCARCE."

"Yeah?" Ushio raised his thick brows. "Well if I were you…I'd keep my smart mouth shut!"

Before he knew what was happening, the creep had slugged Yami, hard in the face. The Pharaoh slammed his head against the wooden siding of the bottle toss game and slumped to the ground, barely conscious from such a hard hit. He was shaken from his daze, however….by the sound of Tea's scream.

Shaking his head, Yami looked up frantically…and beheld the jerks dragging Tea off through the crowd. She was fighting determinedly, but Ushio had a hand clamped over her mouth and a firm grip around her waist. Yami scrambled to his feet, cursing to himself when he saw them rapidly disappearing into the crowd.

He ran forwards and looked around frantically…but it was futile. The throngs of people were too thick…Tea was a mere needle in a haystack. Just as he was about to take off running in any random direction, a gentle tug at his shirt made the Pharaoh look down.

Standing there, looking up at him, was the little girl from before. She fixed him with a determined gaze, saying, "Those creeps took your girlfriend towards the woods. Please save her, mister!"

"Thank you," Yami said and took off.

X

Tea squirmed and struggled against the rough arms holding her, but it was futile. Ushio's grip was vice-like, his appendages strong as steel cables…and he had help from the two other goons. To make matters worse, he had dragged her into the woods…where no one could see what was happening.

Panic rose within the girl's chest. Who knew that the beauteous trees of autumn she adored so much…would become her greatest enemy? She wished for Yami…hoping that her mental cries for help would somehow reach out and touch his heart…let him know where she was…but she knew that was impossible. In vain, the brunette began to fight again…but this time, her captor seemed to have had enough. He squeezed her so tight that for a split second…she thought her ribs might break.

"Quit struggling, doll…" he growled into her ear, his putrid breath nearly making her gag. "Then we won't have to hurt you…"

Tea tried to give a scathing retort, but didn't have the oxygen necessary to do so. Ushio was holding her so tight…she could barely breathe.

They dragged the brunette a few minutes longer, heading deeper into the forest….but all of a sudden, they all halted and gasped. Tea struggled to turn her head, wondering what the deal was….and her heart leaped for joy.

There…leaning against a large, solitary tree…was Yami. He had his toned arms crossed over his chest, his body stance calm…but his face shadowed with a rage barely contained. His blood eyes were dangerously narrowed, jaw clenched tightly as he growled, "Hello again, Ushio…seeing as you have plenty of time to kidnap my friend, Tea…I'm sure you have a moment to solve a quick puzzle."

"Huh?" Ushio's voice was as dumb as his expression. "What puzzle?"

The smile playing on Yami's lips was crafty.

"This park is a popular place for hunting," he explained. "Because of that, one must be VERY careful where he steps…else he might get caught in a snare. In order to move forward, you must pass this tree I am leaning against. However, you have a choice. You can either go this way…" he gestured to one side of the tree that was basically a pile of leaves. "Or you can go this way…" he pointed to the other side which was a patch of grass with only a few leaves. "Your challenge is to think. Think of which side would be more likely to harbor a hunter's trap. If you guess right, you may proceed…guess wrong and you WILL be relinquishing Tea to me…and you will probably get injured."

"Heh…" Ushio smirked. "You're a weird kid, you know that?"

Yami shrugged. "It matters not. You still must choose a path. So…which will it be?"

Tea's heart was thudding. What if these idiots got lucky? Yami couldn't take them on all by himself…still…she had to trust him…had to believe.

After a few moments' contemplation, Ushio grinned and announced, "Just how dumb do ya think I am?"

Yami smirked. "You really do not want me to answer that question."

The bully growled…and began stepping towards the clear splotch of grass path. "Hunters sometimes hide their traps in leaves," he explained with a cocky grin. "Everybody knows that…"

"If you're so confident…then step forward."

Ushio grumbled, but did as he was told, shoving Tea into one of his thugs' arms and motioning for them to follow. They moved forward…stepped onto the path….and the ground beneath their feet gave way. Ushio and the second thug immediately fell downward while the one holding Tea, let go, fanning his arms in an attempt to stay steady.

Yami reached out, pulled Tea towards him, and shoved the last guy into the hole with his groaning companions. Stepping forward, Yami peered down into the hole, grinning triumphantly.

"Next time watch out for those camouflaged dirt pits," he smirked. "Of course, I don't think there will BE a next time…you'll have the bruises to remind you of this little incident for quite some time."

The brunette laughed and he grinned at her, taking her hand and setting off back the way they'd came. As they walked, Tea suddenly halted, making him look at her in confusion.

"Yami…" she murmured with a faint blush on her cheeks. "Thank you…for saving me…again." She added the last with a chuckle.

The Pharaoh smiled back at her. "You are welcome."

"I'm sorry…I'm such a hassle to you…getting into trouble with freaks all the time…"

"Tea…" Yami cut her off, grabbing her shoulders and staring deeply into her sapphire eyes. "You are NEVER a hassle to me…I care about you…I am thankful to have you as my friend…I…I…" he stared at her, trying to find the right words. "Ah, forget it…" he finally said. "Let me just show you…"

Yami slid his hands up her neck to cup her face…and pressed his lips against hers. Tea gasped, and the kiss grew even more passionate. Finally, she got over the initial shock and snaked her arms around his neck, fervently returning the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed her against a tree, pulling away only for demand of oxygen.

The Pharaoh leaned his forehead against hers, his labored breathing matching her own. The breeze blew around both of them, sending red and gold leaves fluttering around them as if they were doing a graceful little dance…but they had eyes only for each other.

"You know…" he murmured, brushing a leaf from her chocolate hair. "I think I know what to say I am thankful for in that essay…."

"Really?" Tea whispered, eyes half-lidded. "What's that…?"

"You…" he huskily growled and captured her lips once again.

**Not the best, but I wanted to do something for November since it's not quite Christmas yet XD. I hope you liked and please review :)! Please no flames.**

**I DO NOT OWN YUGIOH**


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